In an internal combustion engine with a phase-adjusting device a phase between a reference mark on a camshaft of the internal combustion engine and a reference mark on a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine may be adjusted in a reference position of the crankshaft. The phase may be determined as a function of an operating variable of the internal combustion engine. Because of manufacturing tolerances and/or wear, in internal combustion engines of an identical type an actual phase may differ from the phase resulting from determination of the phase. This discrepancy may also be referred to as camshaft misalignment. At different operating points of the internal combustion engine values of the camshaft misalignment may be determined and adapted.
The camshaft misalignment may be determined using different methods. For example, the camshaft misalignment may be determined as a function of a measured variable that is associated with an air path of the internal combustion engine. In this case, for example all measured variables, the measured value of which is determined in an intake tract of the internal combustion engine, are associated with the air path. Alternatively, the camshaft misalignment may be determined by means of a measured variable that is associated with a fuel path of the internal combustion engine. The fuel path comprises for example all of the measured variables that are acquired in an exhaust tract of the internal combustion engine and all of the final controlling elements that contribute towards metering of the fuel. The camshaft misalignment may further be determined as a function of a value of an irregular running of the internal combustion engine and/or as a function of a measured variable that has an influence upon the irregular running and/or is associated with an ignition path of the internal combustion engine.